Art Internships and Opportunities in Atlanta: A Comprehensive Guide
Atlanta, a vibrant hub for arts and culture, offers numerous opportunities for aspiring artists, curators, and arts administrators to gain valuable experience through internships and other programs. This article provides a detailed overview of art internships in Atlanta, along with other opportunities such as fellowships, residencies, grants, and open calls, catering to a wide range of interests and skill levels.
Internship Programs in Atlanta
Williamstown + Atlanta Art Conservation Centers
The Williamstown + Atlanta Art Conservation Centers offer a range of internships and fellowships focused on art conservation. These programs are designed for individuals at various stages of their education and career:
Pre-program Internship: This internship is tailored for individuals with an undergraduate degree who aspire to pursue graduate studies in conservation. It provides the necessary experience and hours often required for graduate program admission.
Third-year Internship & Second-year Summer Internship: These internships are designed for graduate students who have completed two years of study and need a third-year practicum of supervised experience, or a summer internship before their third year, to fulfill their degree requirements.
Post-graduate Fellowship: This fellowship is for individuals with a graduate degree in conservation who are seeking advanced experience in their specific area of expertise.
It's important to note that the availability of these positions varies each year based on location, discipline, workflow, and staffing. Interested individuals are encouraged to re-apply annually. Post-graduate positions are typically advertised on the organization's employment page.
The High Museum of Art Internship Program
The High Museum of Art offers an eight-week paid internship program each summer. This program is open to rising college juniors and seniors, graduating seniors, and currently enrolled graduate students. Interns gain real-world experience in a leading art museum with a significant collection and world-class exhibitions. The program strives to provide interns with meaningful and educational projects.
Interns at the High Museum of Art receive several benefits including:
- Free admission to select museum functions
- Discounts at the museum's café and gift shop
- Opportunities to observe and receive instruction that enhances their knowledge of their assigned area.
Specific internship opportunities within the High Museum of Art include:
Development Department Internship: This internship offers an inside look at the Development department, exposing interns to a full range of fundraising activities, including special events, major gifts, membership, corporate giving, and foundation relations.
Read also: Internships for Graphic Designers in Atlanta
Curatorial Internship (Korean Art): This internship allows interns to learn about curatorial work in a collections-based department with a focus on Korean modern and contemporary art. The intern will gain hands-on experience supporting object-based research, exhibition development, and collection initiatives through research, writing, and digital audits.
Campus Engineering and Facilities Operations Internship: This internship provides hands-on exposure to campus engineering and facilities operations, supporting construction projects, building systems, and day-to-day infrastructure management.
MOCA GA’s General Internship
MOCA GA (Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia) offers a unique General Internship experience to select undergraduate and graduate students for academic credit. Interns are exposed to various museum departments through projects related to visitor services, membership, education, special events, tours, social media, and museum operations.
In addition to department-specific projects, interns should be willing to perform light administrative tasks such as greeting and checking in museum visitors, answering phones, orienting guests, and conducting research. Interns typically commit 8-10 hours per week for a minimum of three months.
Atlanta Contemporary Internships
Atlanta Contemporary offers unpaid internships to emerging professionals seeking to learn, create, and innovate within the local and national contemporary art scene. Applicants must be over 18 and looking to gain experience in gallery and museum work. Interns typically work on-site for 10-12 hours per week during normal gallery hours, with some special events hours as needed. There are generally three rounds of internships per year, coinciding with the college semester calendar.
Read also: Animal Professional Internships
The Intern and Volunteer Program
The Intern and Volunteer Program nurtures your professional career through hands-on experiences in nonprofit management and providing opportunities to broaden your network. A unique experience to learn, create, and innovate in a fast-paced work environment.
Other Art Opportunities in Atlanta and the South
Beyond internships, Atlanta and the broader Southern region offer a wealth of opportunities for artists and arts professionals, including grants, fellowships, residencies, and open calls for art.
Grants and Funding Opportunities
Decatur Arts Alliance YEA! (Young Emerging Artists): The Decatur Arts Alliance is looking for artists in K-12 for a student-led arts event that includes an artists’ market and student performances.
Grants for Nonfiction Books: These grants assist nonfiction books having to do with art, architecture, and design; cultural history, the city, and related public issues; and conservation and preservation.
Fulton County Arts and Culture Arts Funding: Fulton County Arts and Culture provides arts funding for artists and nonprofits.
Fulton County Arts & Culture Contracts for Services Grant Application: This grant application is for artists or arts organizations looking for funding support.
The Atlanta Contemporary Nexus Fund 2026: This fund provides $6,000 for 10 Atlanta artists.
Salt Lick Incubator: This incubator provides emerging musicians with $5,000-$15,000 project grants, plus mentorship and hands-on guidance from industry professionals.
Fellowships and Residencies
NXTHVN Fellowship Program: NXTHVN welcomes seven artists and two curators to participate in its paid 10-month intensive Fellowship Program.
Forge Project Fellowships: Forge Project offers Fellowships to Indigenous artists and cultural workers, which includes $25K and a 3-week residency.
Somerset House Studios & UNESCO Remote Residency: This residency commissions three international artists to create online works engaging with ideas around AI and ethics.
UCross Residency: UCross Residency gives artists accommodations, a stipend, and full staff support in the High Plains of Wyoming.
Alliance Theatre’s Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab: This lab offers Atlanta artists the opportunity to submit theatre projects to receive $10,000 for exploration and development.
Tabby Studio Residency: Tabby Studio is a weaving residency program in Southern Appalachia with flexibility to cater to new and seasoned weavers.
Jan Van Eycke Residency: The Jan Van Eycke Residency is an 11-month residency in the Netherlands.
ACRE’s Summer 2026 Residency Program: ACRE offers a summer residency program in rural Southwest Wisconsin.
The “Miss Sarah” Fellowship for Black Women Writers: This fellowship provides Black women writers a restful environment for reflection and writing.
Open Calls and Exhibitions
Apexart Proposals: Apexart is looking for proposals to become part of their next exhibition season and receive funding and staff support.
Reeves House Visual Arts Center Exhibition: Reeves House Visual Arts Center is hosting "All the Fixins: Artists from the South," a juried exhibition of artists living and working in the South.
Callaloo Submissions: Callaloo seeks submissions from Southern writers and artists for a special issue to commemorate the journal’s 50th anniversary.
Southern Fried Queer Pride Submissions: Southern Fried Queer Pride is looking for submissions for their 12th annual pride festival-everything from artists, performers, and workshops!
Day & Night Project Gallery Proposals: Day & Night Project Gallery is looking for proposals to transform tis gallery space.
Edward Gorey House Envelope Art Contest: The Edward Gorey House unfurls for the 2025 Season: the Annual All-Ages Envelope Art Contest.
Gallery Chimera Art Show: Gallery Chimera is seeking art a small works show.
W. W. Lavender Lens - Call for animation shorts: Call for animation shorts from LGBTQIA+ animators.
The Luminary - 2026 Open Call for St. Arts Southeast: Vendors Needed for Sulfur St.
The Bakery Atlanta - 2025 Call for Textile and Fiber Art.
Studio Visit Book Submissions: Studio Visit Book is an international art publication seeking submissions of all mediums. Theme is home.
Atlanta Fringe Festival Submissions: Atlanta Fringe Festival is looking for submissions!
Emerging Women and Female-Identifying Choreographers: Selected to share work in the Future Dance Festival.
Other Opportunities
The Hapeville Maker Space: The Hapeville Maker Space is seeking proposals for large-scale arts community projects that students from across Fulton County can help bring to life.
Black Embodiments Studio Arts Writing Incubator: Black Embodiments Studio is running an Arts Writing Incubator meet to discuss their projects incubating black arts writing.
Atlanta Center for Photography Scholarships: Atlanta Center for Photography is providing scholarships to BIPOC, LGBTQAI+, and/or artists with disabilities to receive two 20-minute portfolio reviews, as well as all other ticket holder benefits.
Jason Reynolds / Simon & Schuster Travel Grants: These travel grants are for black/African American youth/teen services public librarians to attend the ALA Annual conference.
Atlanta Center for Photography Curator-in-Residence: The Atlanta Center for Photography is looking for a Curator-in-Residence to receive hands-on experience in exhibition development.
tags: #art #internships #Atlanta
